Bush portrayed himself as the inheritor of the Reagan vision of a strong America

The leading Republican presidential contender, George W Bush, has set out his ideas on American foreign policy, rejecting isolationsim and calling for tougher policies towards China and Russia.

Mr Bush delivered his speech, his first on foreign policy, in the Ronald Reagan library in California, with Nancy Reagan present.

The Governor of Texas sought to portray himself as the inheritor of the Reagan vision of a strong America.

China no partner

China, he said, should be seen as a competitor, not a partner and treated without ill will but without illusions; Russia should be punished for its actions in Chechnya by having international loans suspended.

But Mr Bush also sought to define a foreign policy for his own day, calling it a distinctly "American internationalism".

"And let us have an American foreign policy that reflects American character," he said. "The modesty of true strength, the humility of real greatness.

"This is the strongheart of America and this will be the spirit of my administration."

Test ban treaty

Mr Bush repeated that he opposed the nuclear test ban treaty, saying that it offered only words and false hopes.

The BBC's Washington correspondent, Paul Reynolds, said the speech was designed to demonstrate that the Texas governor does have a world vision, despite some slips up recently which betrayed his lack of experience.